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This case study by GreenCape describes a solar energy initiative in the Malawi Camp and Freedom Farm informal settlements in Cape Town, South Africa. The project, led by GreenCape with support from iSolar Ngoku and the Friedrich Naumann Foundation, provides solar home systems to communities that have lacked formal electricity for approximately 30 years. The initiative aims to support post-COVID-19 economic recovery through community-led development, job creation for local installers, and the provision of sustainable energy services.

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This case study by GreenCape examines first-response partnerships in Cape Town during the early stages of the Covid-19 lockdown, focusing on how collaborations between civil society and the private sector built local economic resilience and secured food security for vulnerable communities.

This case study by GreenCape examines the implementation of an alternative service delivery model in the Witsand informal settlement in Cape Town, South Africa. Through a partnership between GreenCape, ThinkWifi, and community leaders, the project utilized an Asset-Based Community Development (ABCD) approach to co-design and deploy wifi-enabled solar street lights to address critical needs for connectivity and safety.

This case study examines a community-led buyback centre in the Vrygrond informal settlement of Cape Town, detailing its role in diverting waste from landfills and providing essential income to local waste reclaimers.

This 2020 industry brief by GreenCape outlines the financial and regulatory case for solar PV adoption by businesses in South Africa, highlighting cost savings, payback periods, and regional feed-in tariff availability.

This case study by GreenCape examines the City of Cape Town's (CCT) '50/Fifty' refuse bin procurement programme, which uses circular procurement to integrate recycled high-density polyethylene (HDPE) into municipal infrastructure. By requiring bins to be made from 50% recyclate and implementing a closed-loop exchange system for damaged bins, the city has reduced landfill waste, lowered procurement costs, and supported local job creation and industry resilience.

This 2020 industry brief by GreenCape examines the on-site treatment and reuse of grey- and blackwater to non-potable standards in South Africa. It outlines the technical processes for treating organic wastewater, the various technology variants available (such as pre-fabricated or constructed systems), and the regulatory landscape governed by the National Water Act and the National Environmental Management Act. The document highlights the economic and operational drivers for on-site treatment in both urban and rural settings, providing case studies from the Western Cape to demonstrate water and cost savings.

This 2020 investment prospectus by GreenCape identifies business opportunities to transform the Montague Gardens and Atlantis industrial areas in Cape Town into eco-industrial parks (EIPs). Using Material Flow Analysis (MFA), the report highlights under-utilised resource streams—such as boiler ash, treated wood, and foundry sand—and proposes infrastructure investments in waste-to-energy and water reuse to build business resilience and resource efficiency.

This case study describes a resource synergy facilitated by the Western Cape Industrial Symbiosis Programme (WISP) between Advanced Technical Sock Industries (ATSI), The Care Bear Project, and The Courier Guy to repurpose industrial waste as stuffing for teddy bears.

This case study describes a circular economy intervention facilitated by the Western Cape Industrial Symbiosis Programme (WISP) to connect a plastic crate manufacturer with a local recycler of HDPE and PP plastics.

This report by GEOSS South Africa for WWF South Africa details the establishment of a citizen science groundwater monitoring network in two pilot areas of Cape Town: Newlands and the Epping/Airport Industria area. The project aims to address the risks posed by unsustainable groundwater abstraction, which increased during the 2015–2019 drought, by characterizing groundwater resources and installing monitoring equipment to support future numerical groundwater modeling.

This monograph examines the use and misuse of less-lethal weapons (LLWs) within South African prisons and by the South African Police Service (SAPS) Public Order Police (POP) units during crowd management from 2013 to 2018. It analyzes the legal and regulatory frameworks of the Department of Correctional Services (DCS) and SAPS, highlighting systemic failures in accountability, the use of equipment as instruments of torture, and the lethal consequences of weapons marketed as 'less-lethal'.

This report reviews the status of marine and coastal ecosystem-based adaptation (EbA) in South Africa, detailing the country's policy frameworks, institutional arrangements, and practical implementation of nature-based solutions to enhance climate resilience.

This policy brief examines the role of inter-sectoral collaboration and coordination in preventing violence in South Africa, using the Western Cape's After School Game Changer (ASGC) as a primary case study. It argues that violence prevention requires a holistic approach involving government, NGOs, and academic institutions to provide safe environments and life skills for youth, particularly in impoverished areas.

This report, produced by the South African Civil Society Working Group on the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, provides a 'Citizens’ Report' to offer an alternative perspective to the government's Voluntary National Review (VNR). It evaluates South Africa's progress on six specific Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): Quality Education (Goal 4), Decent Work and Economic Growth (Goal 8), Reduced Inequalities (Goal 10), Climate Action (Goal 13), Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions (Goal 16), and Partnerships for the Goals (Goal 17). The report generally finds that while South Africa possesses strong policy and legal frameworks aligned with the 2030 Agenda, there is a significant gap in implementation, public awareness, and the inclusion of civil society in the monitoring and review processes.

This research paper examines the potential for Ecosystem-based Adaptation (EbA) in South African coastal cities, specifically Durban and Cape Town. It argues that EbA provides a triple benefit of biodiversity conservation, climate adaptation, and socio-economic development. The authors identify significant barriers to implementation, including a reliance on 'grey' infrastructure, lack of promulgated Coastal Management Lines (CMLs), and constrained municipal budgets. The paper recommends integrating EbA into local government planning tools, fostering cross-sectoral partnerships, and exploring innovative financing such as payments for ecosystem services and insurance-industry partnerships.

A statement by a representative of Natural Justice detailing first-hand observations of the negative impacts of mining and large-scale infrastructure projects in South Africa and Kenya, arguing that current development models prioritize corporate interests over human rights and environmental sustainability.

This event report details the Green Economy Coalition (GEC) Global Meeting held in Cape Town from January 8-10, 2019. The meeting focused on the central question of how to ensure inclusive participation in the green economy, resulting in five core findings, a set of policy recommendations for the UN-PAGE Ministerial, and a framework for the GEC's ten-year strategy review.

This briefing document provides context for the 2019 Green Economy Coalition (GEC) Global Meeting in Cape Town. It reviews the state of the global green transition in 2018, outlines the GEC's ten-year history and mission to champion inclusion, equity, and environmental limits, and defines the meeting's focus on ensuring 'everyone gets a stake' in the transition through participation, livelihoods, and ownership rights.